Switch for suspension or cable roads



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

' C. GARR.

SWITCH FOR SUSPENSION 0R CABLE ROADS.

WTINESSES INVENTOR.

N. mans Mmmm-1PM. wnumm n. e

(No Model.) 2 sheets-Sheet 2.,-

C. GARR.

SWITCH PoR SUSPENSION 0R CABLE ROADS.

F II HT [n all"llll'l' MOTOR CAR.

l f BRACKET wrrNsssEs. IN'vzNron.

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N, PETERS. mmumognplw, wahmnon, D. C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES CARR, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SWITCH FOR SUSPENSION OR CABLE ROADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 374,864, dated December13, 1887.

Application filed April 30, ISST.

To @ZZ whom, it may concern..-

Beit known that I, GHARLEs GARR, of Boston,in the county ofSuifolk andState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulimprovements in switches orswitch mechanism adapted to roads having4cable or suspension tracks-z'. c., tracks consisting of cables or wiresstretched from post to post-or other supports, of which the following isa full, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which drawingsform a part of this specification.

These roads may consists of one cable or of two, one being arrangeddirectly over the other. u

The nature of my invention relates to the construction of the movableswitch-tongue, the method of operating the same, the means for operatingthe same, and the construction and combination of parts, substantiallyas hereinafter more fully set forth.

Referring tothe drawings, I have illustrated my improvements as appliedto a road having two cable tracks, one above the other, and I have showna motor-car with its wheels resting upon these two tracks, over which itis to` travel.

Figure 1 is a plan showing the upper cable track with the switch-tongueclosed upon it, its connections, &c. Fig. 2 is a plan similar, butshowing the switch-tongue in the open position and the motor-car in theposition of having just passed the open switch on the main track. Fig. 3is an elevation and shows the switch-tongue in the open position. Fig.

4 is a plan of the lower cable track and shows the switch-tongue in ltheclosed position. Fig. Fig. 5 is a similar plan 'and shows theswitchtongue in the open position. Fig. 6 is an elevation showing theupper and lower cables in section and the motor-car with its wheels uponthe cable tracks and at the point or position of passing the openswitch. The lower4 cable is duplicated for the purpose of showing,without confusion, its relations to the lowerswitch tongue and themechanism for operating it. The arm f is repeated, broken ofi', showingits position when the switch is closed. Fig. 7 is asectional plan andshows the connecting-rod between the upper and lower track switchmechanism, connections, Ste;4

Serial No. 236,721. (No model.)

Fig. 8, a modification of the saine in elevation. Fig. 9 is a planshowing a part of the same modification, with the further partscompleting the connection to the switch-tongue dof the lower track. Fig.l0 is a plan showing the saddle end of the switch-tongue and a sectionof the upper-track cable on which it rests when in closed position, asshown. Fig. l1 is an elevation of the same. series of sectional viewsillustrating the construction of the same at the points indicated by thecontiguous dotted lines. Fig. 13 is an elevation illustrating theopposite or hinge end of the switch-tongue. Fig. 14 is a sectional planof the same. Fig. l5 is a corresponding plan.

Like letters. refer to the same or corresponding parts in all thefigures.

It has been a matter of much study and great difiiculty to overcome theobstacles in the way of constructing a practicable device by means ofwhich .cars might be easily and safely switched off from a suspension orcable track. A little thought will make it apparent that the supportingof such mechanism, including the movable switch-tongue, is a difcultmatter to accomplishand give ample space clear for the passing of thecars. I will proceed to describe the method and mechanism by which thisand other difliculties have been overcome by means ofthe iniprovementsherein described.

Referring to the drawings, a is the upper track cable. b is the lowertrack cable. c is the upper-track switch-tongue with saddle end at c andhinge end at c".

The lower-track switch-tongue is marked d, its point or lip end ismarked d, and its hinge end d. The switch-tongue c, for the upper track,has its free end formed into a saddle adapted to rest on the cable tracka, and having depending sides or iianges to reach down on each side ofthe cable track, to prevent the possibility of its being crowded off thecable track. This tongue c is hinged or pivoted at the end opposite thesaddle c' 'to a stationary part ofthe track leading to the next stretchof cable or other track to which the switch leads. The switch -tongue ois lifted at its free end when opened sufficiently to allow the upperwheel and its connections to the car to pass clear of it. I alsopreferto Fig. 12' is a IOO combine with the lifting movement a sidewise ortransverse movement. The two movements combined will sometimes give thebest opening to the switch with less travel than either alone.

For lifting the switch-tongue, I provide, preferably, the lever e andsuspend the switchtongue c to it by means of the link f. This link f isprovided with a lug, g, which, when the switch is closed, engages andrests upon the adjacent main track. I also prefer to provide the linkfwith the armf and the lever e with the stop e', so that when the switchis open the link will be firmly clamped in position, as shown in Fig. 6,the arm f bearing on a stop, h. Other means, however, may be used forsteadying the link. These, though preferred, are not deemed essential.

A stop, z', will guard the link f, with its lug g, from missing theirconnection with the main track when the switch-tongue in closingapproaches its closed position.

A variety of appliances may be used to give l movement to thelinkf andlever e-as, for instance, a screw, a lever, and rod-connections, awindlass, 8vo.; but I prefer, as shown in Fig. 6, a crank, j, with itsshaft and pinion k playing into and operating the rack-rod Z Z. Aflanged roller, m, sei-vesto keep the rack in mesh with the pinion.

Any suitable fastening-as, for instance,the common railroad-switchlocks--may be used to secure the switch in the open or closed positions.

For the purpose of giving to the lowerswitch tongue a simultaneousmovement with the upper one, I provide the rod n, jointed to the levere. This rod is jointed, by any suitable system of levers andconnections, to the lower-switch tongue, which has its free end mountedin the usual slide-shoe used for ordinary switches. One system of suchlevers and connections is illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7; another in Figs.8 and 9. The free end of the tongue is formed with a flange to slideover the lower track when pressed against it, as will be understood fromthe illustration in Fig. 6, and when the-switch is locked, as abovealluded to, the closing is complete.

The switch-tongues may be hinged or pivoted in any convenient way; butFigs. 13, 14:,

and l5 show a preferable method. Two strapsare bolted or riveted one oneach side of the rail. The switch-tongue fits closely between these ironstraps at thejoint; but the ends receiving the switch-tongue are spreadapart enough to allow the `proper angular movement of the tongue. A boltpasses through the straps and the tongue, upon which is placed a tubularpivot piece or journal, about which the tongue hinges, and this, beingof suitable length, goes between the straps and keeps them open at theproper angle, where they are firmly held by the central bolt.

With the foregoing description the operation of the switch-tongues willbe readily understood on referring to Fig. 6.

The saddle end of the upper-switch tongue and the lipped or iianged endof the lowerswitch tongue are made of a wedge shapet' e., gaining inthickness immediately over the main track as closed upon ite-so as togive a sufficient upgrade to allow the ange of the wheels to pass overthe main track ras they leave in going onto the switch.

It is obvious that other means than that shown may be used to lift theswitch-tongue of the upper track. The method shown, however, gives amplesupport, with ample space for the cars to pass the switch, and requiresno inconvenient frame-work to carry it. The parts are generally ofwrought-iro nand steelthe free ends of the switch-tongues preferablyofsteel. W'hen the cars are to be operated by electrical power throughthe tracks as conductors, the parts may be insulated by means of theordinary devices and methods.

In Fig the switches atboth upper and lower tracks are shown in openposition. To close them, any lock which may be used is first unlocked.The crank and pinion j 7c are then turned over to the right and rotatedin the same direction, which drives the rackrod Z l upward, causing thelever e to describe the quarter-circles of movement indicated by dottedlines, and the linkfto come, with its lug g, to its resting-place on themain track. By the same movement the rod n is caused, through thesystems of cranks or levers and connections shown, to force the lip endd of the lower-switch tongue d into contact with main-cable track b, asdescribed. Thus both upper and lower switches are closed. The reversemovement of the crank j opens them again alike simultaneously.

The improved switch mechanism is applicable as well to curves andsections made of ordinary rail.

I claim- 1. The switch-tongue having a saddle end and a hinged end, incombination with a lifting-link arranged between, substantially asdescribed.

2. The switch-tongue having a saddle end and a hinged end, incombination with an intermediatelifting link and lever, substantially asdescribed.

3. The lever e and link f, in combination with the saddle-end hingedswitch-tongue, substantially as described.

4. The saddle end hinged npperswitch tongue, the lever e, and link f, incombination with the pinion 7c, rack-rod ZZ', and crank j, substantiallyas described.

5. The lower switch tongue constructed with lip or flange to shut overthe track and the saddle-end upper-switch tongue, in combination with anintermediate connecting system of levers, link, and rods, substantiallyas described.

CHARLES CARR.

Witnesses:

FRANK G. PARKER, D. N. B. COFFIN.

IOO

IIC

